Once Upon a December
by mystical-eclipse
Summary: This is the tale of Dezui, a young lupess, as she goes through life in the wilds of Neopia. Through joy, pain, and love, she discovers what it truely means to be a Lupe. (Rated PG for some gorey scenes)
1. The Beginning

**Once Upon a December**

Chapter 1  
The Beginning

The sun shone brightly over the vast, winter-stricken forest, making the snow covering the branches of the many trees glitter like clear jewels. A thick layer of white blanketed the forest floor, and the only sound that could be heard was the chirping of the birds who had no intention of their annual migration south. The forest was at peace, and all was still. The calmness of the woods vanished as a hunter's paw broke the frozen earth, and a magnificent Lupe entered the empty clearing. He was large by most standards, and his pelt was a striking golden, the mixtures of gold and yellow glistening in the winter sunlight. He raised his handsome muzzle to the sky, his breath curling in front of him like smoke in the icy air. There was something wary in his brown optics, but something of pride too; It was almost time. His mate, the lovely fae Tara, would be giving birth any sun now, and he was spending almost every waking moment hunting for her so she and their pups would be strong and healthy. He had been hunting for almost a whole sun, and so far, he had not seen a trace of game anywhere, and this worried him a great deal. His nostrils flared as he took in the scents the wind carried, hoping to catch a sign of nearby prey, but all he got was the smells of the forest, rich and damp with the snow. He growled bitterly to himself, and shook his head in disgust. What kind of husband was he when he couldn't even provide for his mate? His fine auds perked as there was a loud rustle in the vegetation behind him, and his optics shone with a glint of hope. His hackles rose, and with his strong legs and lightning quick reflexes, he sprung around to confront what had come up behind him - Only to come face to face with another Lupe. His pelt was of a bright white, and streaks of black could be seen throughout his fur.  
"Saberio," the golden mascu growled lowly, auds tipping back at the presence of the Alphen of the pack to which he belonged. "What are you doing here?"  
"Chasing snowflakes," Saberio replied sarcastically. "What do you think I'm doing, Javier? Looking for you, of course. Tara's time has come, and she requested that I fetch you." Javier's optics widened with the news, and he bolted in the direction of the packlands as fast as his paws could take him. Saberio's cold gaze followed him, and the Alphen's tassal swayed to and fro irritably behind him. Usually, it was only the Alphen and the Alphena that produced offspring in a pack, but Saberio wanted his sister Tara to be happy, and since having pups had always been a dream of hers, he had permitted the two to breed. He snorted slightly as he watched the form of Javier vanish into the trees, and he hoped that he had done the right thing with his decision.

A beautiful silver fae lay sprawled out in the pack's den, her blue optics watching the two bundles of fur suckling at her side fondly. It had been almost two hours since Tara had given birth to Javier's pups, and she was exhausted, but seeing the life she had brought into the world made it all worth it. One was a delicate fae, the other a proud mascu. The fae was covered in fur the shade of a brilliant amethyst, marked by a few spots of orange by her shoulder and on her auds and tassal. The mascu was a deep crimson, his maw, chest, underside and tassal a light beige, and to top him off, he had two small, yet powerful, batlike wings. Tara was contemplating her son's strange gift when she heard something lurking outside the entrance of the den. Instinctively, and out of fear for her pups, the hackles on the back of her neck rose angrily, and a growl emitted from her throat. She wrapped her bushy tassal around her newborn pups protectively, and her growl grew to a snarl as she heard the thing begin to make its way into the den. But, she relaxed immediately when she saw the handsome, familiar face of the intruder.  
"Javier," she sighed in relief, her tassal thumping the ground weakly. Javier licked his mate tenderly, and his optics shone with a new light as he gazed upon his pups.  
"They're beautiful, Tara," the mascu grinned, lowering his body so that he lay opposite to her, touching her nose lovingly with his. "Just like you." Tara blushed, and turned to the pups, running her tongue along them.  
"What shall we call them, Javier?" Tara asked, glancing back at her mate. "I thought of Dezui for the fae, but I can't decide for the mascu." Javier paused for a moment, gazing at his son thoughtfully.  
"How about Kafeanu?" He suggested. The parents nodded in agreement, and watched peacefully as Dezui and Kafeanu squirmed at their mother's side, drinking as much of her milk as they could. The happy moment was interrupted as a sniggering growl was heard outside the den, and the large form of Saberio entered, yellow optics flashing.  
"Well, dear sister," he grinned, approaching the two, "your dream has finally come true. Congratulations."  
"That it has," Tara nodded, nuzzling Javier affectionately. "Thank you, brother."  
"No need to thank me," the Alphen chuckled. "I just wish to see the miracle that you have brought to us." Saberio walked over to Tara's side, and he suddenly froze as his gaze fell upon young Kafe. He snarled, and leapt back as if he had been bitten. Stories his mother had told him as a pup flooding into Saberio's mind as he stared at the crimson cub, and the Alphen let out a terrified howl.  
"Demon!" He cried, optics now flashing with anger. "It's a demon child! Your litter is possessed! Kill them at once," he demanded, baring his fangs to their roots, "or I shall deal with them myself!"  
"Saberio," Tara pleaded, wrapping her tassal around her pups once more, "I know what you are thinking, for I remember as well as you those stories and the superstition that came with it. But our pups are not demons, or I would have sensed it by now...Poor Kafe is only strangely marked."  
"Don't be stupid, Tara!" Saberio snarled. "Can you not see what those wings resemble? A demon's wings! No normal pup would be marked like that! Even though the other whelp has no markings, she has as much darkness in her as her brother. They are bringers of evil, and must be destroyed before it's too late! Move aside, sister; If you will not finish them, I will."  
"You will do no such thing!" Javier snarled even fiercer than Saberio, and leapt between the Alphen and his pups. "I will not allow you to take our pups' lives because of some stupid cub's fable that got to you." A sly smile spread across Saberio's maw, and he chuckled softly.  
"Javier, Javier, Javier..." he shook his head in disappointment, and began to circle the gold hued mascu. "You think you stand a chance against me, the Alphen of the pack? I am the strongest Lupe here, and nothing," his optics shone dangerously, "I mean NOTHING can defy me and get away with it!" Tara let out a cry of terror and agony as she watched helplessly as Saberio gave a vicious snarl, and lunged right at Javier's throat. Her mate wasn't quick enough, and he gave a howl of excruciating pain as the Alphen's fangs dug into him. Saberio drank the warm blood as it trickled onto his tongue, and Javier slashed at his maw in an attempt to get him to loosen his grip. If anything, it only grew tighter, and soon, there was a sickening rip, and a cry unlike anything Tara had heard before emerged from Javier's maw. The silver fae screamed as the movement in her mate ceased, and he hung limply in her brother's jaws. Saberio smirked, and let go of Javier's throat, his lifeless body falling to the ground in a heap.  
"There," he smiled evilly as he shifted his gaze to his distraught sister. "See Tara? Aren't I generous? I let your precious little demons live, and took your husband instead." Tara could barely see Saberio through her tears; All she felt that moment was pain, and a burning hatred for her brother. All she could do was snarl and glare at him.  
"Get out of here, Saberio," she spat, unable to say anything else. She glanced at the body of her murdered mate, the blood flowing from his freshly torn throat soaking the ground. She let out a mournful howl, her pain and sorrow ringing through the den. Even Kafeanu and Dezui seemed to share their mother's pain, for they began to whimper and huddle closer to her. Saberio smirked, and headed towards the mouth of the den, glancing back at her before he left.  
"You shall see sister," he hissed. "When the evil in those two fully awaken, you'll be sorry...sorry that you doubted me. Demons have no mercy." Saberio gave a loud growl, and vanished into the darkness outside the den.


	2. Captured

Chapter 2  
Captured

Things change. Feelings change. Faith changes. Up in the blackness of night, the moon was changing her face with each day. Time flew by, and soon, the sun was shining intensely on the forest, long melting the snows and marking the coming of summer. The pack was overjoyed with the change of weather, as now game was abundant, and they could hunt all they wanted. Tara was still distraught with the death of Javier, and her hatred for Saberio grew more with each sun. It had been almost half a year since Javier's murder, and Tara had burried her mate by the rushing river on the edge of the packlands. Everyday, the silver fae would rest by his grave and howl to him. Dezui and Kafeanu would often join her, and the family would mourn together. The pups were now the size of large dogs, and had almost reached their full adult size. Dezui had grown into a beautiful slender fae, her features soft and kind, and she had a strong thoughtful muzzle like her mother. Kafe had become a mighty mascu, and his features were more that of his father. The masses of muscle rippling under his pelt showed his immense strength. Saberio kept a sharp eye on both of his sister's offspring, and even though neither had displayed any sign of iniquity, he was determined to prove Tara wrong, and show them to her for what he knew they really were.

Kafeanu and Dezui would often wander off on their own, exploring the forest and getting away from the pack for a while. On their many excursions, the siblings would often visit a place they had found on one of their first treks. It was a large clearing, and at the edge of it was a sparking stream. A dead tree had fallen across it, providing a bridge and a makeshift bench. Dez and Kafe would sit on the log for hours, gazing into the water and contemplating life's questions.  
"What do you think it would have been like," Dezui asked one day, glancing at her brother, "if he hadn't been killed?"  
"It's hard to say, Dez," Kafe growled thoughtfully, ruffling his wings. "I bet he and mother would have gone off and started their own pack, instead of living under the rule of our uncle. I swear...if anyone around here is evil, it's him. Bloody murderer..." Dezui gave a snarl of agreement, and nodded as her gaze shifted to the clear sky above them.  
"I know...he truly is the demon. But what I don't understand is why we continue to stay in his territory. Mother hates him as much as we do, and yet, she isn't doing anything about it." The anger faded from the purple fae's voice, and a soft sigh escaped her lips. "I'm really getting worried about her, Kafe; I heard her talking to herself again the other sun." Kafeanu shook his head sadly, letting his tassal hang limply off the log. For as long as they could remember, Tara had been muttering things to herself when she was alone in the den. They would often eavesdrop on her, though most of the time they couldn't make out what she was saying. She would talk as if she was having a conversation with another Lupe, or she might be reminding herself of things she needed to do the next day. No matter what it was, they had always detected a certain craziness in her voice that spooked them.  
"I'm worried about her too, Dez," he replied gravely. "But for now, there is nothing we can do except be there for her and offer her our support."  
"You're right," his sister nodded. "We're all she has left." The two sat in silence, listening to the soft rippling of the stream below them.  
"One day," Kafeanu growled after a while, "I will kill Saberio and avenge father's death. Then, I will take his place as leader of the pack."  
"A fine plan, I'm sure," Dezui chuckled lightly, "for he deserves to pay for what he did. In fact...I almost wonder why I didn't think of that myself."  
"C'mon," Kafe snorted. "We were both thinking it. I just said it first." Dezui was about to reply, but a sharp squawk interrupted her as she opened her mouth. Her auds tipped back as she watched a brightly colored Pteri swoop in from above them and landed by the stream. Getting a closer look at it, Dez saw that its feathers were a mixture of red, orange, yellow, green, blue and violet, and they swirled together in a beautiful rainbow pattern. Kafeanu followed her gaze, and a mischievous smirk spread across his maw.  
"Hey Dez," his optics shone as the Pteri began to peck at the ground, "feel like a bit of hunting?"  
"I don't know," Dezui growled thoughtfully as she watched the Pteri. "Do you really want to harm it? It looks so innocent."  
"So do Cybunny and Chia," Kafe reminded her gently.  
"Yeah, you're right," Dez laughed, "let's just eat it!" The beautiful fae was the first to spring off the log, and she lunged at the Pteri with all the furiousity of the hunter. Her claws scraped the ground as the small Neopet took flight, greatly startled and frightened by her sudden appearance. Dez took after it back into the forest, chasing it as fast as her paws could take her. Kafeanu chuckled as he watched them, and he vaulted off the log to join in the chase.

The only thing that Dezui was aware of as she bounded through the trees after her prey was the pounding of her heart and the frantic pumping of her limbs. Her sapphire optics were fixed on the Pteri, watching for the opportune moment to spring at it. Much to her frustration, the Pteri flew too high above her to reach, even with her most powerful leap. So, she hoped, and waited for it to lower into her range. Just behind her, Kafeanu knew what his sister was thinking, for it was running through his mind as well. But, unlike Dezui, he wasn't willing to wait for it to come down.  
"If you want something done," he whispered to no one in particular, "you have to do it yourself." Spreading his massive wings, the crimson mascu took to the sky, soaring after the Pteri. Dez grinned as she saw her brother, who was quickly gaining on it, and she slowed her pace gradually to a trot. Her tongue rolled out of her mouth in an exhausted pant, and she closed her eyes wearily as she listened to the raging battle above her. She had been persuing the Pteri for almost two miles nonstop, and now that Kafe had the situation handled, Dezui didn't see why she shouldn't sneak in a quick rest. She let her mind drift around the forest, taking in all the noises and scents that came to her. Her thoughts then shifted to her mother and the pack, and her auds tipped back uneasily. _Maybe..._she thought, _maybe I should help Kafe with his quest...It would be an honor to assist with the defeat of Saberio...But what if-?  
_"DEZUI!" a frantic voice brought Dez suddenly out of her thoughts, and as she opened her eyes, she recognized it to be her brother's. It was then that she saw what he was yelling about. The Pteri was zooming at her full speed, and it was glancing behind it at Kafeanu, so it had no clue where it was going. Hearing his call, the small bird turned it's attention in front of it...just as it flew face first into Dezui as she desperately tried to get out of it's way. The force of the tremendous impact sent the purple lupess stumbling backwards, slightly dazed, and it took her a minute to come back to her senses. Her gaze shifted to the Pteri, who was waddling around at her paws blindly. It was badly stunned, and Dezui couldn't help but let out a small chuckle. She was about to pick up the Pteri in her jaws, when she noticed a shadow growing on the ground around her. She immediately knew what it was, and her body stiffened in terror, her hackles rising. Kafe was flying towards her as he saw the thing falling towards his sister, and he gave a pained cry as he watched the cage land with a thud, trapping both Dezui and the Pteri inside.

To Be Continued...


End file.
